Tag Archives: ABC

Shelley Metzler, center, president of Interstate Roofing, accepts the Excellence in Construction Award in the Commercial Specialty category. Interstate Roofing was chosen for the award for their work on LeMay - America's Car Museum in Tacoma. Also pictured are Stephanie Cannon, left, chair elect of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of ABC, and chair Marc Dollahite. Photo by Sam Tenney/DJC

The Associated Builders and Contractors’ held its Construction Industry Summit March 16 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. During the summit, ABC honored contractors with awards during its Excellence In Awards Luncheon. More photos after the jump.

President Obama delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday evening largely focusing on the economy and the growing wealth gap in the U.S. He said we should restore the economy to one where “everyone gets a fair shot.” But the Associated Builders and Contractors trade association said the speech was just more of the same from the president.

ABC National Chairman Eric Regelin issued his reaction in a press release:

“In his speech, the president said ‘we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share,’” Regelin said. “Yet, one of his first official acts when he took office was to sign an executive order on project labor agreements that discriminates against the 87 percent of the nation’s construction workforce that chooses not to belong to a labor union.

Regelin is referring to Executive Order 13502 that encourages federal agencies to use union-only project labor agreements on construction projects that cost more than $25 million. PLAs are project contracts that essentially require workers to unionize. They establish employment conditions for workers such as recognizing the union as the chief bargaining power, following union rules and paying union dues. President George W. Bush had banned federal agencies from imposing PLAs on federal construction projects, but President Obama reversed that ban.